Oshtemo adds 11 acres to Drake Farmstead with property donation

OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, MI -- The historic Drake Farmstead is nearly doubling in size with a donation of two parcels from the Dinerstein Companies to Oshtemo Township.

The two vacant parcels -- five acres on Croyden Avenue and about six acres on Drake Road -- lie immediately north of the existing Drake Farmstead, which currently totals about 15 acres.

Township Supervisor Libby Heiny-Cogswell said Dinerstein, a real estate company based in Houston, Texas, built a neighboring student apartment complex. Heiny-Cogswell said there have been a couple development proposals for the property and attempts to sell but nothing came to fruition.

The Oshtemo Township board voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize Heiny-Cogswell to accept the donation of the property, although Trustee Nancy Carr noted immediately after the vote that it does represent a loss of tax revenues from the parcels.

Environmental assessments and appraisals on the parcels are complete and the township is prepared to take ownership. The township expects to begin the planning process this year to create a master plan for the use and development of the Drake Farmstead.

The township purchased the historic Drake House, built in 1852 by one of Oshtemo Township's first settlers, and the surrounding five acres in 2004. A visioning session in 2011 identified acquisition of land to the north and south of the house as a priority. In 2012, the township purchased a 10-acre parcel to the south and got the Drake Farmstead listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Heiny-Cogswell said the donation from Dinerstein, which represents the last available adjoining land, will allow for a better, less crowded presentation of the historic house.

"The original farmstead was hundreds of acres," Heiny-Cogswell said. "The more we can preserve, the better."

Property acquisition

In addition to receiving a land donation, the Oshtemo Township board voted Tuesday to purchase two properties that are in tax foreclosure and participate in demolition of a third.

Treasurer Nancy Culp said the township receives a list from the Kalamazoo County Treasurer every year of properties that are to be auctioned for back taxes and the township has first right of refusal. This year there are five properties in Oshtemo Township.

The township engineer, planning director, assessor, ordinance enforcement officer and attorney reviewed the list and recommended purchasing parcels on North 2nd Street and North 8th Street and participating in demolition for a property on Drake Road.

The North 2nd Street property is a 66-foot wide vacant parcel recommended for purchase to prevent development of a substandard lot and preserve access to adjoining properties in case of future development. The township will spend approximately $850 from the general fund to purchase the property for the minimum bid price.

The property at 573 North 8th Street is located in a low area that is not currently served with sanitary sewer and recommended for purchase as an ideal location for a small sanitary pump station that would serve the residents along 8th Street. The minimum bid of approximately $2,850 will come from the sewer fund.

The property at 1921 North Drake is a condemned, blighted property. The township will pay half the cost of the demolition with approximately $5,000 from the general fund, and Kalamazoo County will pay half the cost.

Two parcels on the list -- a land-locked parcel of 0.16 acres on Oak Highlands Drive and a property at 9355 Stadium Drive with a single family home -- were found to serve no public purpose and will go to auction.

The Oshtemo Township Board voted 5-1 to purchase the two properties and participate in the demolition of the third as recommended and to amend the budget accordingly, with Trustee Nancy Carr opposed and Trustee Dave Bushouse absent.

The first resolution authorizes Supervisor Libby Heiny-Cogswell to accept the terms of the development project agreement from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for a grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund for phase two of Flesher Field Park improvements.

The $300,000 grant will be matched by $155,300 from the township for phase two, which includes a new play area, a garden area with a gazebo and pathways, a second picnic shelter and relocation of two wiffle ball fields.

Heiny-Cogswell said the board approved the match amount in March 2013 when it approved the grant application, but the funds were not part of the 2014 budget because the budget was approved before the township knew if it would receive the grant.

The board vote Tuesday to authorize Heiny-Cogswell to accept the grant and amend the budget to allocate $30,000 from the park fund balance and $125,300 from the general fund for the township's match passed 5-1, with Trustee Nancy Carr opposed and Trustee Dave Bushouse absent.

Phase two construction is planned to begin in early September and be complete by November, although unforeseen delays could cause completion to be delayed to spring 2015.

The resolution to adopt the South Drake Road Corridor Improvement Authority Development and Tax Increment Financing Plans also passed 5-1, with Carr opposed and Bushouse absent.

The plans identify project ideas and describe the process and impacts of the anticipated tax capture in the corridor, which runs down Drake Road from West Main to Stadium Drive. Through tax increment financing, tax dollars generated from new private property developments and improvements within the corridor will be captured and reinvested in public improvements within the corridor to support and encourage more private investment.